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Ross ecstatic D-backs came calling for deal

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Cody Ross was heading to dinner with the Rangers' brass in Dallas in December when his wife showed him a text message from his agent.

The message said the D-backs were very interested in him and wanted to make an offer.

For Ross, who lives not far from the team's Spring Training complex in Scottsdale, it was welcome news indeed.

"My smile was ear to ear," Ross said. "It was crazy how it all unfolded and how quickly it happened. It couldn't have happened any better."

Ross played for the Red Sox last year and had a slash line of .267/.326/.481.

"I was always a big Cody Ross fan," Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said. "To be honest, I would say, at one point we were joking in a meeting in baseball that I should wear a Cody Ross jersey to the next meeting because I was so eager to see us reach out to him. And I do have a great fondness for him and a lot of respect for him. I'm not surprised that an old general manager that I worked with, Kevin Towers, talked him into playing out there."

Ross is expected to start for the D-backs in right field, but manager Kirk Gibson maintains that the battle for playing time in the outfield is wide open at this point.